French Baseball Players to Watch This Season

The French baseball league is gearing up for another exciting season, and there are plenty of players to keep an eye on. Here are some of the top French baseball players to Watch This Season

Introduction

In baseball, France is not a country that is typically associated with the sport. However, there are a few French players who have made a name for themselves in the MLB. Here are a few French baseball players to keep an eye on this season.

The first French player in the MLB was pitcher Jean-Pierre Garneau, who played for the Montreal Expos from 1969 to 1970. Garneau was born in Quebec and is of Franco-Ontarian descent. He is also one of only two French-born players to have played in the MLB, the other being first baseman/outfielder Mike Lawrence, who played for the Detroit Tigers in 1974.

One of the most successful French players in the MLB is …

The best players in France

France may not be known as a powerhouse in the world of baseball, but there are some talented players making their mark on the sport. Here are three French baseball players to keep an eye on this season.

1. Nicolas Picard is a catcher for the Sacramento River Cats, a minor league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics Born in Paris, Picard moved to the United States as a teenager to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball He made his Minor League debut in 2016 and has steadily worked his way up the ranks, impressing with his solid defense and powerful bat.

2. Jonathan Leroux is a pitcher for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies Born in Marseille, Leroux was drafted by the Phillies in 2013 and has been steadily working his way through the Minor Leagues ever since. He made his Major League debut last season and will be looking to cement his place in the Phillies’ rotation this year.

3. Francois Lafreniere is an infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Born in Montreal, Lafreniere was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016 and has been climbing through their Minor League system ever since. He’s widely considered one of the top prospects in baseball and could make his Major League debut as early as this season.

The top prospects in France

Every year, hundreds of French baseball players leave their home country to try their luck in the United States Some are drafted by MLB teams, while others sign as free agents But only a handful of French players have ever made it to the majors.

This year, there are several French prospects who could be poised for a breakout season. Here are five players to keep an eye on:

1. Florentino Cortez
A catcher with a strong arm and good power at the plate, Cortez is one of the top prospects in France. He’s expected to start the season with the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Mathieu Morisset
A left-handed pitcher with a 90 mph fastball and good control, Morisset is one of the most promising young pitchers in France. He’s expected to start the season in Single-A ball with the Toronto Blue Jays

3. Lucas Thévenet
An outfield prospect with speed and good contact skills, Thévenet is one of the most exciting young players in France. He’ll start the season in Double-A with the Pittsburgh Pirates

4. Hugo Valdés
A hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, Valdés has a fastball that reportedly reaches 100 mph. He’ll start the season in Single-A with the San Francisco Giants

5. Nicolas Duvall
An infielder with good hitting and fielding skills, Duvall is one of the top prospects in France. He’ll start the season in Double-A with the New York Mets

The best players in the Minor Leagues

As the Minor League season gets underway, there are a few French baseball players who are worth keeping an eye on. Here are three of the best:

1. Nicolas L owes – A pitcher for the Miami Marlins organization, L owe s is considered one of the top prospects in baseball. He has a fastball that can reach up to 97 mph and a sharp slider that has been described as “unhittable.”

2. Lucas G alle – A third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers G alle is one of the top prospects in the Brewers’ system. He’s a big player with a lot of power, and he’s expected to be an everyday player in the majors someday.

3. Maxime V illanueva – A pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays V il lanueva is another top prospect who has a bright future ahead of him. He doesn’t have quite as much velocity as L owe s, but he makes up for it with his excellent control and command of his pitches.

The top prospects in the Minor Leagues

The Top Prospects in the Minor Leagues are those who are the most likely to be called up to the Major Leagues and make an impact at the highest level Here are some of the top French baseball players to watch this season

Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Acuña is a highly touted outfield prospect who is expected to make his Major League debut this season. He is a five-tool player with the potential to be a middle-of-the-order bat.

Oscar De La Cruz, Chicago Cubs
De La Cruz is a right-handed pitching prospect who could make his Major League debut this season. He has a plus fastball and plus curveball, and he has been working on his changeup.

Alex Mejia, St. Louis Cardinals
Mejia is a Top Prospect who could see time in the Majors this season. He is a solid defender with good batting average and on-base percentage numbers.

The best players in Independent Leagues

France has a strong baseball tradition, and there are many Great players in the country who have gone on to have successful professional careers. In recent years however, the number of French players in MLB has declined sharply. This is due in part to the increased competition from other countries, as well as the fact that many of the best French players are now choosing to play in other leagues, such as Japan or South Korea

However, there are still plenty of talented French players to watch out for in the independent leagues this season. Here are some of the best:

Maxwell Abel: A left-handed pitcher who most recently played for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, Abel has a fastball that can reach up to 95 miles per hour and a sharp slider that has been known to fool hitters. He is currently unsigned but is expected to draw interest from MLB clubs this season.

Jules Bonnie: A right-handed pitcher who made his professional debut last year with the Quebec Capitales of the Canadian-American Association, Bonnie is a strikeout machine who has been compared to former MLB star Pedro Martinez He is currently signed with the Capitales for the 2020 season.

Antoine Duplantis: An outfielder who spent last season with the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League, Duplantis is a speedy player with a good batting eye. He is currently signed with the Houston Astros and is expected to start the 2020 season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express.

The top prospects in Independent Leagues

The top prospects in Independent Leagues are always worth keeping an eye on, and this season is no exception. Here are five French baseball players to watch in 2019:

1. Antoine Duplantis, OF, High-A Cedar Rapids

One of the top prospects in all of Minor League Baseball Duplantis is a France-born outfielder with a smooth swing and plus speed. He’s expected to move up to Double-A this season and could be one of the first French players in the majors.

2. Dylan Cease, RHP, Double-A Birmingham

Cease is another highly touted prospect who could make his Major League debut this season. The right-hander has a plus fastball and Breaking Ball and he’s posted some impressive strikeout numbers in the minors.

3. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Triple-A Charlotte

Giolito made his Major League debut last season and struggled at times, but he’s still one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. The right-hander will likely get another chance with the White Sox this season and could be a key piece of their rotation for years to come.

4. Max Fried LHP, Triple-A Gwinnett

Fried is a left-handed pitching prospect who could see time in the majors this season. He’s posted some solid numbers in the minors and should get an opportunity with the Braves at some point in 2019.

5. Kevin Gausman RHP, Atlanta Braves

Gausman is the only player on this list who has already made his mark in the majors. The right-hander had a solid 2018 campaign with the Orioles and was traded to the Braves during the offseason. He’ll be a key member of their rotation this season and could be one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The best players in college

As the college baseball season gets underway, there are a few French players who are worth keeping an eye on. Here are four of the best:

1. Antoine Duplantis, LSU

A sophomore outfielder from Lafayette, Louisiana, Duplantis is one of the top prospects in the country. He hits for average and power, and he’s a solid defender in the outfield. He’s expected to be a high draft pick next year and he could be a key player for LSU this season.

2. Jeremie Fagnan, Oklahoma State

A senior pitcher from Bordeaux, Fagnan has been a key player for Oklahoma State over the past few seasons. He’s a hard-throwing right-hander with good control, and he’s expected to be one of the best pitchers in the Big 12 this season. He could be drafted in the early rounds of next year’s MLB Draft

3. Nicolas Claire, Southern Miss

A junior infielder from Paris, Claire is one of the top hitters in Conference USA He has a great approach at the plate and he hits for both average and power. He’s also a solid defender at third base. Claire will be one of the leaders on a Southern Miss team that should contend for a conference title this season.

4. Hugo Kloosterboer, Stetson

A junior pitcher from Amsterdam, Kloosterboer is one of the best Relief pitchers in Division I Baseball He has a fastball that reaches up to 97 mph and he also has a good slider and changeup. Kloosterboer will likely be used in high-leverage situations for Stetson this season and he has the potential to be drafted next year.

The top prospects in college

As the college baseball season comes to a close, here are some of the top French prospects to keep an eye on heading into the MLB draft

1. Lucas Giolito, RHP, UCLA
Giolito is one of the top pitching prospects in the country and should be a high first-round pick in June. He has a mid-90s fastball and a plus curveball that has caused problems for hitters all season long

2. Max Scherzer RHP, Missouri
Scherzer is another hard-throwing right-hander who should also hear his name called early in the draft. He doesn’t have quite the same stuff as Giolito, but he’s been very effective nonetheless.

3. Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU
Ranaudo is yet another talented French pitching prospect. He’s been inconsistent at times this season, but when he’s on, he can be dominant. He has a good chance to be a first-round pick as well.

The best players in high school

As the baseball season gets underway, there are a few French players to keep an eye on. These standouts have the potential to make an impact at the High School level and beyond.

Corentin Moutet is a pitcher who recently transferred to a high school in Florida. He has already attracted attention from Major League scouts.

Another player to watch is outfielder Simon Lheritier. He is considered one of the best hitters in his age group and has been compared to some of the great French players of the past.

Keep an eye on these two players as they try to make their mark on the Baseball World